3 simple tips to make getting fit easier

You probably know a good few ways to get fit. I mean it’s not as if we are stuck for information these days.

You’ve got YouTube, blogs, Facebook, Instagram and a whole host of other social media platforms that I just don’t get.

Image: campusdiaries.com

It’s hard to believe that when I first started out in the fitness industry there was no such thing as Facebook or YouTube

Now it seems everyone can be an expert. You just need your smart phone and lots of spare time.

Unfortunately this leads to a lot of confusion

Whether that’s to do with diet – it seems being ridiculously strict with your diet is seen as a badge of honour these days. And anyone who can’t give up eating like a normal person is just weak minded and lacks discipline. C’mon, give me a break!

Or what about exercise? Where unless you end up lying in a pool of your own sweat, vomit and urine you’re just not training hard enough. (yes I’ve actually seen posts from women bragging about pissing themselves while exercising)

But it really doesn’t have to be as hard, extreme or confusing as it’s made out to be.

So here are 3 simple tips to help you. Bear in mind just because these are simple doesn’t mean they aren’t highly effective. In fact this is where I start with every single member who joins SF Fitness.

1. Write down what you consume

I say consume and not eat because liquid calories tend to be the ones people forget about. Write them down as you consume them or right after. Don’t try to recall from memory because, well you’ll probably conveniently forget things.

Do this for every meal. Every day. For a week. At the end of the week look back and see what areas you can improve. This is far more powerful than trying, yet again, to cut out bread or give up sugar or go on one of those magical detoxes.

An example I recently came across was looking at a member’s food for the week. She had lost a tiny amount of weight but nothing to shout home about.

And as soon as I saw HOW she was eating I could tell why.

The advice I gave her had nothing to do with cutting anything out or giving up any of the foods she currently ate. We just made one simple change where she’ll automatically eat a bit less without feeling like she was on a diet or starving herself.

When it comes to your diet the smallest changes can and usually do make the biggest differences.

2. Choose exercises that suit your body

Some people shouldn’t run, some shouldn’t swing a kettlebell or do TRX. If something hurts in the wrong way during or the day after exercise, stop doing it. Your body is either not ready for it, not strong enough for it or you haven’t been shown the best way to do that exercise for your body.

The kettlebell swing is a big one here. It’s become very popular. With good reason. It’s a great fat burner. But with great power comes great responsibility. If your back hurts, stop.

It’s not supposed to.

Could be for a few reasons. You might not have the core strength and flexibility to do it. You might not have been shown the best way for you to do it.

image: kettlebellbasics.net

Can’t say without looking at how you move. Although if it looks anything like the above please sack your trainer. And yes, this is ‘world famous’ trainer Jillian Michaels. Unfortunately ‘world famous’ doesn’t mean bright!

And that’s why nobody swings a kettlebell or even breaks a sweat in SF Fitness without going through a movement assessment first. From this we’ll determine your starting point, what exercises are in and what are out. And what areas you’d benefit from improving. Exercise is about moving more. But moving in a way that makes you feel looser and stronger as opposed to beating yourself up or punishing yourself because you acted like a normal person and ate cake yesterday.

3. Exercise with other people but…

Exercising with others is great. It’s more fun, more inspirational and more encouraging. As long as you aren’t trying to keep up with others or do the exact same programme as them.

You’re an individual.

You need to work at a level best for you and the results you want. Going too hard or too easy will scupper your results faster than it takes Brad Pitt to find a new girlfriend.

Exercising on your own is boring. It’s one of the reasons why I stopped doing 1-1 personal training. And created SF Fitness. A non-intimidating, friendly & supportive gym where you get your very own personal plan, designed by experts to deliver the results you want